HCC Library Newsletter (Fall 2007)

S p e c i a l p o i n t s o f interest: ·

Information Literacy program details

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Upcoming Events

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New book highlights

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Information 1 Literacy

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Message from the Dean

Welcome to the first issue of the HCC Library and Instructional Resources newsletter! We hope that this newsletter will publicize upcoming events, highlight our services and materials, and provide students, faculty and staff useful research and instructional tips.

I n t h i s i s s u e : Dean’s Message

Library & Instructional Resources Newsletter

When I first visited the library last March during my interview for Dean, I initially was impressed with the beauty of the building and the strength of the collection. However, when I came to work at the

College, I was equally (if not more) impressed with the library and IRC staff and the quality of customer service they strive to provide the community. I think the library offers a variety of wonderful services and resources (both people and collections), but I don’t know if students, faculty and staff are fully aware of them. This is one reason we created this newsletter – to inform the College of what the library and IRC have to offer.

This inaugural issue will include reviews of some of our newest books and databases, an overview of the information literacy program in the library, news of some of our fall activities and much more!

I hope you’ll take the time

Featured Database

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Upcoming Events

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Information Literacy

All You Need To Know

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New Books

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Library Hours & Contacts

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Do you need help looking up research articles for a paper? Can’t figure out how to cite a web site using MLA style? Then Information Literacy is for you!

The Information Literacy program (Info Lit, for short) at HCC library is designed to help you with research and related issues.

You may have attended a

‘formal’ library session as part of a class, but Info Lit goes beyond that. We can help you with finding resources you may not have considered or be familiar with, unravel the mysteries of APA and MLA style citations, teach you the basics of NoodleBib, help you narrow or broaden your paper topic, and much more. Info Lit help is FREE and all you have to

to read these articles and take advantage of the events and resources.

We hope this is the first of quarterly newsletters for the campus community.

As we develop the newsletter and its content, we want to hear from you, too. If there are columns or topics you would like to see featured, please let us know. We want to provide you the information you need and want. Please feel free to send comments to me at lrector@harford.edu or the newsletter’s editors, Mary Somers or Melissa Harris.

Enjoy the newsletter!

Lucy Holman Rector Dean, Library and Instructional Resources

do is ask! Just call the Info Lit librarian, Regina Rose, at 410­836­4000, ext.

7166, or email rrose@harford.edu and she can set up an individual session for you with one of our librarians. If you’re in the library, feel free to stop by the Reference Desk on the 2 nd floor to find out more.

Regina Rose Instructional Services Librarian

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Featured Database CountryWatch CountryWatch is a unique database that provides comprehensive details about countries of the world. Need to find out information for a history paper? Not only can you find current events in the “News Highlights” section, but you can also access information on the history, political conditions, governmental

structures, and economic overviews of any nation.

You can even find information on dominant religious and ethnic groups.

Geography assignment has you stumped? Check this database for maps, geographic features, and even current temperatures! Need information on exchange

rates? CountryWatch includes a currency converter.

To access this database, go to the library’s homepage at http:// www.harford.edu/ library. Click on the “Online Databases” link and scroll down to CountryWatch.

Mary Priebe Library Assistant

Upcoming Events Book Discussion: Nine Shift: Work, Life and Education in the 21st Century

Check out the HCC Library Blog at http://hcclibrary. blogspot.com/

Wednesday, October 17 3:00—4:30 PM Library, Room 326 Nine Shift postulates major changes to come over the next 15 to 20 years. Join Prof.

Ryker Hughes and discuss the predictions of William A. Draves and Julie Coates on how we will spend nine hours of our day in the not too distant future—the Nine Shift!

Come and discuss, come and argue, come and agree—but most of all come for the opportunity of collegiality!!

Light refreshments will be served.

No Tricks, Just Treats Wednesday, October 31 Please come to the Harford Community College Library on Halloween, Wednesday, October 31 and join the fun. We will have treats available for the campus community at all 3 service desks. The library staff gets in the holiday spirit with some very creative costumes!!

International Education Week November 12­17 Brush up on your geography—there will be a geography trivia contest throughout the week of November 12! The contest will be available online and in person. There will be a gift for entering (while supplies last)!! The grand prize winner will get a gift certificate to a local restaurant featuring ethnic (international) cuisine.

L i b r a r y & I n s t r u c t i o n a l R e s o u r c e s N e w s l e t t e r

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All You Need To Know

I was a Harford County Public School Media Specialist for many years, and when I came to Harford Community College as a Reference Librarian, I found many things in the library to be different and yet, not totally foreign.

The biggest difference was the Library of Congress System used in cataloging. What happened to our good friend Dewey? All you need to know is to first follow the letters alphabetically and then look for the numbers. If your call number is RC456.A234, you look for the R’s first and then you’ll see RA, RB and finally RC. Then you’ll see RC1, RC2, and you are looking for four hundred and fifty six.

Then it begins all over with the A’s after the RC456, and so on. Just take your time and ask if you can’t find your book.

The next difference is the number of floors. All you need to know is the DLD, digital library, is on the

ground level. The second level houses the Reference Collection, the Reference Librarians (who can answer your questions) and the Circulation Desk where you can check out your books. The third floor is for quiet research and study and houses the 3­week books.

Gale has our old friend, Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center, but wait until you see how many other components are included.

Health, history, literature and science all have their own resource centers.

The high school (card) catalog, OPAC, only gave you the books your library owned, but our OPAC gives you what HCC owns as well as what the public libraries own. All you need to know is that from our web page, http:// www.harford.edu/ library/, you can click on Library Catalog, even from home, and find out what books we have or order books from the public library to be sent to the HCC library for you.

“ . . . you can use these sources from home or from our library and there are The biggest change you’ll see is always how many different roads you librarians can take on your research available to path. From our web site, you help you” can use our Internet Subject Guide, our Reference Shelf, our government documents . . . and the list keeps on growing.

The online databases are a great help for student researchers. Harford County Public Schools had a few for you, but HCC has a large number to use. All you need to know is that you can use them in our library or at home, just like you could in high school.

Some are old friends and others are brand new to you!

You won’t find Infotrac, but you don’t need it because we have so much more. The HVV library has Proquest and Academic Search Premier.

These give you scholarly as well as magazine articles and are much more comprehensive than Infotrac.

The best part is that you can use these sources from home or from our library and there are always librarians available to help you—by phone, 410­ 836­4131, by email, referenc@harford.edu, or in person!

Patti Pfau Reference Librarian

New Books of Interest

Professors' Guide to Getting Good Grades in College

After Dolly: The Uses and Misuses of Human Cloning

Flashback: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Suicide, and the Lessons of War

Bloom's Modern Critical Views, 104­ Volumes

HCC Call Number: LB2395.J29 2006

HCC Call Number: QH442.2.W5583 2006

HCC Call Number: RC552.P67C652 2006

Lynn F. Jacobs and Jeremy S. Hyman

Ian Wilmut and Roger Highfield

Penny Coleman

HCC Call Numbers vary according to the subject of the volume. Ask for assistance at the Reference Desk, ex.131.

Want better grades? Or maybe you would like to take better lecture notes or prepare for tests. This is the book for you. It offers tips and strategies for the above, and much, much more!

This book, co­written by a scientist whose team was responsible for the famous cloned sheep, presents the reasons for his opposition to the cloning of humans, and also how cloning can be applied ethically.

Contact Information Circulation Desk Library, 2nd floor circdesk@harford.edu 410­836­4268 Reference Desk Library, 2nd floor referenc@harford.edu 410­836­4131 Digital Library Desk Library, 1st floor online@harford.edu 410­836­4256

The author’s ex­husband suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder and eventually committed suicide. In an attempt to come to terms with his death, she examined PTSD from many angles. This book examines the experiences of PSTD sufferers, especially Vietnam era veterans.

This series provides highly regarded criticism on the most widely read poets, novelists and playwrights, from ancient times to today.

Janis Jordan Reference Librarian

Fall 2007 Library Hours Sept. 4 ­ Dec. 17 Monday ­ Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

7:30 a.m. ­ 10:00 p.m.

7:30 a.m. ­ 4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m. ­ 4:00 p.m.

12:00 p.m. ­ 4:00 p.m.

Exceptions & Reminders: November 17­18 November 21 November 22­23 November 24­25

Normal Weekend Hours 7:30 a.m. ­ 4:30 p.m.

CLOSED Normal Weekend Hours

Newsletter Editors: Mary Somers, Reference Librarian & Melissa Harris, Instructional Resource Technician